European shares fell on Thursday, with bank and commodity stocks among the biggest decliners of the day. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.4 percent to 385.07. Thus far this week, the pan-European index is up 0.4 percent in what would be its second straight weekly gain. Germany’s DAX dropped 0.7 percent to 12,477.53. The FTSE 100 fell 0.7 percent to 7,506.92, building on a similar drop in the previous session.

Apple acquires Akonia Holographics

Apple Inc. confirmed it has acquired a startup focused on making lenses for augmented reality (AR) glasses, showing that Apple aims to create a wearable device to superimpose digital information upon the real world. The startup, Akonia Holographics, was founded in 2012 by holography scientists, focusing mainly on holographic data storage before shifting to displays for AR glasses. In AR, digital information is overlaid on the real world, as in the game Pokemon Go. Mobile phones use camera systems on a screen; major technology firms aim to create glasses that show digital information on transparent lenses.

Akonia stated its display technology allows for thin, transparent smart glass lenses that display vibrant, full-colour, wide field-of-view images, having a portfolio of more than 200 patents related to holographic systems and materials. Apple has a history of buying smaller companies whose technologies show up years later in its products. Apple’s AR glasses could ship as early as 2020.

Trump Administration meets with California

President Trump’s administration and California’s air regulators state they will keep meeting to work towards resolving their sharp conflict over vehicle emissions, both sharing the goal of a single national standard. Trump’s Safer and Affordable Fuel Efficient Vehicles rule, which backs freezing national vehicle emissions standards at 2020 to 2026, revokes California’s power to set state emissions rules.

Automakers have urged California and the administration to reach an agreement, to avoid facing years of uncertainty. California air regulators stated its plan to tighten further state vehicle emissions rules, despite a Trump administration proposal in August. This decision is nationally significant, as the state is the largest US auto market. Furthermore, a dozen states and the District of Columbia have adopted California’s emissions rules, accounting for more than a third of all US vehicle sales.

Disclaimer: This article was issued by Lauriann Azzopardi, junior investment advisor at Calamatta Cuschieri. For more information visit, www.cc.com.mt. The information, view and opinions provided in this article are being provided solely for educational and informational purposes and should not be construed as investment advice, advice concerning particular investments or investment decisions, or tax or legal advice. Calamatta Cuschieri Investment Services Ltd has not verified and consequently neither warrants the accuracy nor the veracity of any information, views or opinions appearing on this website.

Calamatta Cuschieri is one of Malta’s largest financial services firms. The company offe...